Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-24
UP IN A BALLOON, BOYS.
The Height Of Sixteen Thousand Feet
Above the Surface of the Earth
Attained in an Hour.
The Mercury Falls fran NiRety-FiYe in
the Shade Almost 70 Freezing Point
in an Hours Time.
Exciting Scenes in the Big Air Ship-Notes
from n Signal Service Officer and
n Correspondent.

~ . NOOASi -AO't NAAo - AN " OA4NA
and Post Dispatch balloon was cut loose
ct p. n. to-day at Sportsman Park, and
after skimming Just over the roofs of the
very small houses in the vicinity made g
dip for the earth and then caper for a
grove of tall trees, but two bags OF bal
last being hastily thrown out the monster
lunged into upper space, and in few
minutes appeared as respondent speck
among the feecY clouds, racing
towards the east. A vast
concourSe OF people gathered
ct the park long before noon and patient
ly awaited the ascension. The balloon
was filed with gas from city main, re-
curing 10000 cubic feet to distend its
folds to the satisfaction Of the GrOnaut,
and yet falling G000 short Of his full de-
sire. In consequence much ballast had
to be left out. In emptying this al
Moore, the 8rOnaut, was severely in
iured, two fingers of his left hand being
badly laceTated. In the car are four
men-Al Moore, the Gronaut, Professor
j. G. Doughty, photographer, Edward
Duffy, World correspondent, and Pro-
ssor II. Allen Rezen, Jr., Of the Signal
Service Bureau. Although lacking sand
ballast there is sufficient weight in freight,
such as so pounds of water, 100 pounds
of provisions, clothing, photographed
and observers instruments. Twenty
carr or pigeons from different stations
in Missouri we're taken along also.
Professor Hazen says the current of
air to an altitude OF 1000
fgatis northeast, st 5000 feet il is almost
directly east. 1t is within the power Of
the tronaut TO ascend or descend to
these currents as ne desires and thereby
choose his course. They will avoid the
great lakes and thereby tomorrow even
ing expect 10 land in Massachusetts or
New Hampshire.
COMPELLED TO LAND.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, June 16 "A telegram
from The Worlds balloon correspondent
Duffy, says they were compelled TO land
ct Huffman, Clinton county, Ill, rear
Centralia st S:l5 last night because Of the
giving out OF the gas.
MUST HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN.
DETROIT, Mich June l8.-The World
balloon which left st. Louis late yester-
1880 last night. When last seen at /
O'Clock the balloon was going west north
west
PARTICULARS Ot 1IE MI
ST. LOUIS, Mo, June lS-The World
and Post=Dispstch balloon attsined a
height of IG, 900 feet above the surface
of The earlh yesterday at 500 p. m, &C
cording to the markings Of instruments
of the United States signal service officer
HaZen, who WAS one of the four il the
car This is the highest on record in
America. at this point the thermometer
marked 81 Correspondent Duffy says
it seemed very cold, coming from the
heat Of 90 in the shade an hour before.
The air ship left the earth as if reluctant
to 90, but once On It's voyage upward it
gained speed rapidly and was quickly
among the heeCy clouds, which partially
obscured the earth as thick
veil. Dsugherty is photographing
the earth, Duffy is writing his sketch
Hahen looks up from mis- instruments
amazed, and sees Moore, the TrOnaut,
helpless, the loss of blood from his In
Jury having rendered him senseless.
Hazen sings out: "We're going too
fast" There is much excitement, but it
cslms in minute, for the instruments
record g. falling. Again the signal officer
gives warming: "We're falling dread
fully" and losses out 8 handful OF cir
culars. They shoot upward. Moore
half aroused, realized the peril, and calls
all hands TO drop ballast. The sands
fall scarcely faster than the car, and
the earth seems TO fly upward.
Fields and houses spread out as q vast
map, growing terribly clearer each
minute Moore sings out: "SOme-
things wrong, boys; five don't stop her
we are lost.D One thousand feet from
the earth and still tumbling madly, 200
and the drag rope touches the earth, 600
and The check is perceptible. At 400 the
balloon skins eiong, falling no more. The
800 feet of the drag rope resting on the
earth gave the relief. More ballast was
thrown out and the air ship again
assembled this time to 5000 feet. The
RrOnaut then noticed that the Big was
sagging and announced th&t landing
must be made. When within few hun
dred feet of land the drag rope skinned
along the earth, making trail for four
miles, and its wake was followed by
crowd Of natives. Several times they
caught the rope and were hurled roughly
to the ground. On August PALMS farm,
seven miles from CentraliG, ILL.,, his sturdy
wife gave the rope several turns around
an apple tree and brought the monster up
with JERK. me wind caught the 1OiCS
Of the balloon aud it scared like kite for
an hour. The farmers tugged st the rope
and when the aeronsut pulled the rip cord
to MS Amusement ne found IL already
loose and they learned of the cause OF the
T. arful iall SO nearly disastrous 10 the OC-
Cupants Of the cir ship. The carrier
pigeons thst were released from the
balloon ct 1000 feet altitude have sp-
peared ct their homes. Mr.. Hazen re-
ports tie voyage q success. The balloon
will be brought back to the city SId al
engagements are now being made for
another ascent,
AN EXPLANATION.
DETROIT, Mich, June lS.-The balloon
that was seen n this vicinity last night
was sent up by loCsl wag, who thus
succeeded in fooling the oeopia.